Separator.



R. H. RICE.

SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED uov.26. 1915 Patented June 19, 1917.

aqttfg.

Inventor Richard H. Ric,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD H. RICE, 0F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SEPARATOR.

Tov all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD H. RICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separators, of which the following is a specification. v

The present invention relates to separators, particularly steam separators, and has for its object to provide an improved structure which will efliciently separate out the moisture from vapor, as steam, even though the moisture forms a large percentage of the total weight of the mixture, and which at the same time issimple in structure, and may be manufactured at a relatively low cost. The principal application of my invention is as a steam separator, and I have accordingly so described it in the following specification, but it will be understood that it is not limited to this particular use. c

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying specification and the claims appended thereto. In the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated my invention, Figure 1 is a side view partly broken awayof a steam separator embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken atright angles to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3- 3 Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modification, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4 with the top plate removed.

Referring, to the drawing, 4 indicates a cylindrical casing having an open top 5 and a rounded bottom 6 provided with an admission 'opening'7 and a drain open ng 8. 9 IS a steam pipe'which is threaded into the admission opening 7 for conveying the IIIOISt steam to the separator, and 10 is a suitable drain pipe threaded into opening 8. 11mdicates a cover for the cylindrical casing. It has a discharge passage 12 therein into the outer end of which is threaded a discharge pipe 13. This pipe conveys the separated steam to the point of consumption. The inner end of the passage 12 in the cover opens downward and into it isthreaded a nipple 14 having an opening 15 therethrough which is of the right size to properly discharge the steam in any particular instance. Since the nipple can be readily removed, it

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 11116 19, 1917. Application filed November 26, 1915. Serial No. 63,440.

is a simple matter to adapt theseparator to different applications, as one nipple can be removed and another having the desired size of opening substituted. Inside the casing 4 and threaded into the admission opening 7 is a stand pipe 16 which extends to a point well toward the top of the casing and is adapted to discharge the moist steam against a deflector 17. The deflector which is preferably rectangular, has two flat sides 18 connected by rounded walls 19 and is provided with a central web member 20 located directly over the top of the standpipe 16. The deflector issupported on the cover 11 by two arms 21 which carry at their upper ends a collar 22 threaded on to the nipple 14. By this arrangement the nipple serves the additional function of attaching the deflector to the cover. The side walls 18 of the deflector are spaced away from the inner wall of the casing 4 and extend substantially across it so that the outer edgesof the rounded walls terminate at or in close proximity to the casing wall. This is shown in F igs l and 3 where it will be seen that the deflector leaves substantial spaces 18 on the two sides. These are for the escape of the dry steam.

In the operation of the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the mixture of steam and moisture entering through opening 7 is directed by the'standpipe l6 vertically upward against the deflector 17 The central web member 20 of the deflectoi' serves to divide the fluid mixture into two streams which are directed outward and have their angle'changed through approximately 180 by it. The moisture in the steam is, therefore, by this means brought in contact'with -the surface of the deflector and is propelled by the velocity with which it is projected against the deflector in a curved path and turned through an angle of about 180 and projected vertically downward against the vertical sides of the separator chamber. The steam, however, quickly slows down, takes the path of least resistance, which is at right angles to the path in which the steam and water are directed by the deflector and rises upward at the sides of the deflector through spaces 18*, and from there over the top of the deflector into the orifice of the nipple 14. The moisture is, therefore, provided with a definite path being thrown downward along the wall of the separator chamber and into the bottom thereof, where it is drained oil through pipe 10, while the steam arises at the two sides of the deflector and passes out by way of opening 15 in nipple l4, passage 12 in the cover, and pipe 13. The steam thus has a path which is separate and distinct from that of the moisture so that after it has once been separated out there is no danger of its again coming in contact with the separated moisture. The standpipe 16 terminatesbelow the lower edge of the deflector so that a limited amount of steam will separate out and escape directly into-the spaces 18 as soon as it leaves the stand pipe.

In Figs. 4: and 5, I have shown a modified structure of the upper portion of .the separator. In this arrangement the deflector30 is. formed integral with the casing wall and is supported directly thereby, 31 in Fig. 5 indicating the spaces upon the two sides of the deflector which form the passagesfor the flow of the steam. In this modification the cover plate 32 has an outlet passage-33 for the steam the same as in Figs. 1 to 3. The operation is the same as that already described inconnection with such figures.

In each of the modifications shown it will be seen that I provide definite separate paths for the steam and moisture after they have been separated from each other and because of this there is no opportunity for the steam to again come in contact with the moisture which has been separated out from it. The above described arrangements are very'simple, being composed of relatively few parts, all of which are in themselves of simple structure. This means that they can be constructed at a low cost. At the same time they have been found in actual practice to be very eflicientin operation.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the prin ciple of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but

I desireto have it understood that the appa-- ratus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means. What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a separator, a casing having an admission opening at its bottom and an open top, a standpipe in the casing which com- IllHIllCEllLGS wlth the admission openlng, a

cover for the casing having a discharge passage in it, a nipple having an opening'therethrough which connects said passage with the interior of the casing, a rectangular .de flector supported from the cover by said nipple, said deflector having a web located directlyv in line-.with .the standpipe, said web andldeflector acting to turn the mixture v outlet.

. 2. In aseparator, a casing having an admlssion opening and a drain opening at its lowerend, and'an open top, a verticallyextending standpipe in the casing which communicates with the admission 1 opening, a cover for the casing having a discharge passage in it, a nipple threaded into the cover and having an opening which connects the passage to the interior of the casing, ra deflector above the standpipe having a web located directly'in line therewith, said web and deflector acting on the mixture to divide it and. turn it through an angle of approximately 180, there being a space between the deflector and the casing wall at rightangles to the directionin which the deflector extends and through which the separated vapor or gas may pass to the outlet, arms fixed on the deflectonand a threaded collar carried by said arms which engages the nipple to "fasten the deflector to the cover.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 22nd day of November 1915.

RICHARD H. RICE.

copiesof. this patentmay'be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the commissio nernof I'atentau Washington, I C. 

